There
are many ways you can make pizza, beyond the topping. They can be cooked at
temperatures ranging from 350 degrees F in a home oven to 900 degrees F in a
commercial wood-burning brick pizza oven. High heat gives the best results. I
tend to make pizzas in three different ways. Sometimes I make pizza on a
large 16-inch pizza pan, either solid or perforated, or directly on a baking
stone. The dough is about a third of an inch thick, and I bake it at either 555
degrees F—the highest my home oven goes—for about 7 minutes or at 450 degrees F
for a little longer. Or I make a thinner pizza, about 1/8 inch thick, which I
cook for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. The best approach is to experiment,
remembering that your first few efforts might be disappointing. I use two
baking stones when I use my home oven for pizza or bread as it will improve your
baking. The recipe below is for making pizza dough by hand; for instructions on
making it in an electric mixer see “Variations.”

1. In a large metal bowl, dissolve the
yeast in the warm water.Let it rest for
5 minutes, then add the salt and shake gently.

2. Add the flour and olive oil and mix
until you can knead it with your hands. The dough should stick a little bit for
the first few minutes but will then form itself into a ball with more kneading
and folding. Once it is formed into a ball, dump it onto a lightly floured surface
and knead for exactly 10 minutes.

3. Once the ball of dough is smooth,
place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean dish towel, and let rise
in a warm (80ºF) place, such as in a turned-off electric oven, for 2 to 3 hours.

4. Punch down the dough, cover, and let
rise another 2 to 3 hours. Now it is ready for making into a pizza or frozen
for future use. Choose your pizza recipe and continue.

Variation:

Basic Pizza
Dough in an Electric Mixer

Read the instructions to your mixer.This recipe was tested on a KitchenAid mixer.
Use the ingredients above. In the electric mixer bowl, dissolve the yeast in
the warm water.Let it rest for 5 minutes,
then add the salt and shake gently. Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour and the olive
oil and attach the dough hook. Run according to the directions of the
manufacturer, about 2 minutes, adding the remaining flour in 1/2-cup
increments. Let the mixer run until the dough is pulled off the walls of the
bowl and is being pushed by the dough hook. Once the ball of dough is smooth,
remove the mixer bowl and remove the dough from the bowl.Place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with
a clean dish towel, and let rise in a warm (80ºF) place, such as inside a
turned-off electric oven for 2 to 3 hours.Proceed as the recipe instructs.

Cliff is our GO TO guy whenever we need advice on a particularly intriguing recipe or ingredient. That's why we are thrilled to be holding his new HOT and hip collection of recipes [Some Like it Hot] that will guide you on a world tour guaranteed to blow your taste buds away! - Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger Chefs/Owners, Border Grill and Ciudad